Giving Blood Saves Lives | HHS.gov

Somebody in the USA wants blood each 2 seconds. Heather, who lives in Dallas, Texas, has wanted many blood transfusions to deal with sickle cell illness. This illness, which impacts greater than 100,000 individuals nationally, could cause ache and different critical issues. Typically Heather needed to wait a very long time for the proper blood. As soon as, she even got here near dying when it took greater than 48 hours to get the blood she wanted.

Heather’s story is featured within the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies marketing campaign that I helped launch final 12 months known as Giving = Residing. The marketing campaign raises consciousness concerning the significance of blood donation and encourages Individuals to donate repeatedly. Watch Heather inform her story and thank the blood donors who gave her, as she says, new life.

Blood transfusions don’t simply assist deal with sickle cell illness. Blood can also be wanted for surgical procedures, critical accidents, most cancers remedies, childbirth, extreme anemia, and extra. And that’s why a gradual, ongoing provide of blood is essential.

Earl, a veteran and motivational speaker from Pennsylvania, additionally shares his story of receiving blood after he was wounded whereas serving in Afghanistan.

Though all Individuals are inspired to donate, it’s particularly vital for individuals from various backgrounds to roll up their sleeves. It is because some individuals have uncommon blood sorts, and it is very important have suitable blood accessible to them.

As well as, individuals who get blood transfusions to deal with sure blood issues, similar to sickle cell illness, can want a extra exact match than different blood recipients. In these circumstances, the extra carefully matched a unit of blood is, the much less possible it’s that a person can have an adversarial response. Having a big, various pool of blood donors ensures that each one sufferers can have entry to the blood they want, once they want it.

There isn’t a substitute for blood, so in honor of Nationwide Blood Donor Month this January, I hope you’ll be part of me in spreading the phrase concerning the significance of blood donation. Only one donation can save as much as three lives. The easy, beneficiant act of giving blood helps sufferers like Heather and Earl get the blood transfusions they want.

In case you are eligible to donate blood, then I encourage you to make an appointment to donate at present—then donate many times to make sure there’s a regular, ongoing provide to assist these in want. Go to the Giving = Residing web site to discover a donation heart close to you. On this web site you can even study concerning the blood donation course of and get solutions to frequent questions and issues.

In case you are not eligible to donate blood, then there are nonetheless some ways to assist. You’ll be able to assist us discover extra blood donor heroes by selling the marketing campaign. From internet hosting a blood drive to sharing marketing campaign supplies in your social media feed or in your neighborhood, there are various methods we will all be concerned. Let’s have a good time the lifesaving act of giving blood. The extra donors there are, the extra lives we will save.